Page 277: My First DIY Tutorial

Wee-hee-heeee..just realized that my blog has been visited more than 100,000 times! I know it doesn’t mean that 100,000 people have come to my blog and read every random thing that I posted, haha, but according to Flag Counter, people from 156 countries have visited my site, so I’m happy for it. Thank you friends and strangers!

Anyway, a few weeks ago my boss gave me 2 rolls of masking tape. Or washi tape. Actually I still can’t tell the difference between just masking tape with nice color and washi tape. Haha. (I have a regular masking tape, it’s not as pretty as tapes from my boss, but when I touch it, the surface feels like washi tape too). But let’s call it washi anyway so I’ll look like a real crafter. :D

And then on one lazy Sunday, I had this idea to decorate my so-affordable-yet-cute lamp that I bought from IKEA with those washi tapes. SGD $5 people! God bless you, dear IKEA! Actually I liked the simplicity of it. It’s all white with scandinavian design. I don’t really like things with patterns – unless the pattern is really pretty, still I prefer stuff with plain nice color. The best thing of decorating stuff with masking/ washi tape is that it’s repositionable and removable for when you get tired of it.

Since it’s the first DIY tutorial I made, pardon me if the pictures are kind of shitty.

Ok, so you need:
1. Tapes
2. Lamp shade (obviously). Plain single colored one.
3. Scissors
4. Cutter

First, decide what kind of pattern you want. You don’t have to draw it, just imagine and predict and measure it a little. I didn’t draw or measure. Haha. Remember, washi tape is removable. I decided to go with simple chevron(ish) pattern. If you want to have like complex pattern, then you need ruler and pencil.
Start with the long lines first.

Use cutter to trim off the edges for top of the shade. You don’t have to do this for the bottom part, just drag the tape until it passes through the bottom edge of the shade, and stick it on the inner surface.

Move to the next round. This part is a bit tricky, but it’s still pretty easy. Make two lines from tape, stick the edges together, but don’t stick them to the surface of the shade. After you get the triangle shape,

Page 163: As Simple As That

Couple of days ago when I just got back from my parents’ home and entered the apartment; I called my roommate, “Neng?” And when she replied, I went straight to her room, and hugged her. I don’t know why. Yes, I haven’t seen her for a week because she went to Medan, but before that, I didn’t miss her that bad until decided to gave her a hug. And before that, I had experience being far from her more than a week, but still I didn’t hug her.

Anyway, after that, we did our “routines”: sharing about most of the things that recently happened in our life, gossiping, discussing this and that, and laughing our ass off about silly things/ people. I like several thoughts that came up from our conversation that day. I think that’s the joy of talking with smart, funny, and open minded person like her. You can always get some fresh insight for your mind and some of them make you want to share it through your blog. Although I don’t know if anyone ever really read this blog *hahaha*, I mean except my friend or people that dropped comments. But yeah, visitor counter said that actually some people came to this virtual asylum. :p

I think the most interesting part when we finally acknowledge that the way we saw our beliefs is changing *tsaaah...seddaaaap :p.* Me with the way I saw Islam, its rituals and rules, and how I connected with God. While she had already came to the point when she thinks she is no longer an agnostic, but an atheist. I can’t tell about her turning point. Mine is happen last Ramadan. I am still learning, though, on dividing which that I must hold dearly in my heart, which that actually was part of Middle East culture that people misinterpreted it as part of Islam, and which that was actually came up because the way people exaggerated things in the past. It is important because your belief should lead you to inner peace, make you a better person and treat people with respects and tolerance. It doesn’t have to be religion; you can still find inner peace although you’re an agnostic or an atheist. It is important because that is the least that you can do to find the real value, something that you really can do while you are still breathing, while you are alive.

Up until now, I still don’t understand people who persuade their friends to choose leader/politician that has the same religion, simply because they felt threatened that if they didn’t do it, it will oppress their freedom to do rituals. Believe it or not, my neighbor was practicing this method to my father. And all that my father could do was smirking. He didn’t give a damn, for sure. Hahaha. Once I wrote about this kind of blind faith, time passed by and I still don’t understand how they could be so suspicious. Why it seemed very hard for them to understand and learn more about the concept of tolerance? It’s a simple thing actually. As simple as if my roommate asks me why I haven’t took prayer while I was busy doing something. See? She doesn’t believe in god or deity yet she still reminds me about my rituals, because we know that as adults who can use their brains to think and their hearts to feel, no one can and have the right to force belief/faith to others. Yep, as simple as that.

Aweee, we’re so adorable or what? Hahaha.

And here's Losing My Religion by R.E.M. Just because i miss Mr. Stipe and the gank today ;)